Koeman admits injury concern over Timber

Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman said he was concerned defender Jurrien Timber could miss the World Cup but is ​hopeful top scorer Memphis Depay will be fit for next ‌month’s tournament.

Arsenal’s Timber has been sidelined since mid-March with a groin injury and Koeman said his chances of making the Dutch squad were in ​the balance.

"Jurrien has been dealing with this for quite ​some time. It has been a rollercoaster ride,” Koeman ⁠told Dutch television on Monday.
"He is training again to see ​if he can make the Champions League final, and be available ​for the World Cup, but it does not look rosy at the moment."

Koeman expects Depay to return to action in the coming weeks before joining ​the Dutch national team.
The 32-year-old striker, who is the Netherlands' ​record scorer with 55 goals, suffered a thigh injury at the end of ‌March ⁠and has not played for his struggling Brazilian club Corinthians since.

"He still has three matches with Corinthians before we get together as the Dutch national team.
"He really needs to get minutes ​in those matches. ​I assume that ⁠will happen, and if everything goes well, he might even play 90 minutes in the final ​match. After that, we still have two weeks ​until our ⁠first World Cup match against Japan."

The Dutch already have to do without three injured players for the World Cup, where they also ⁠face ​Sweden and Tunisia in Group F.
Defender ​Matthijs de Ligt, midfielder Jerdy Schouten, and forward Xavi Simons all miss out through ​injury.

"People may not see us ​as one of the favourites to win the World Cup. But the strength of the Netherlands is that we can beat anyone because the ability ​is there in our squad,” he told FIFA in an ​interview published on Monday.

The 63-year-old, who is yet to name his World Cup ‌squad, ⁠returned as coach in 2023 after Louis van Gaal led the side to the quart-finals at the previous edition in Qatar.

"I think this team is on track,” he added.